Can opener



M. HIGGS CAN OPENER Oct 27, 1936.v

Filed NOV. 26, 1955 4 [MOM W W Patented Oct. 27, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIEE CAN OPENER Application November 26, 1935, Serial No. 51,584

3 Claims.

This invention relates to portable can openers of the class which have a fixed shearing blade and a rotatory toothed disk for gripping and feeding the edge of a can between the blade and the disk.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive and eifective device of the type mentioned which may be conveniently used either to cut a section out of the top of a metal can, or to cut off a metal can just below the top.

This end is attained by providing a metal back plate with guiding lugs, fixed shearing blade and handle, the plate having a slot that extends between the guiding lugs longitudinally with relation to the handle, and in which slot is a freely moving slide that carries on the back of the plate a toothed rotatory disk and on the front of the plate a thumb piece connected to rotate the disk, as hereinafter more particularly described.

In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 shows a front View of the opener.

Fig. 2 is an edge view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a back View of the same.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the plane indicated by the dotted line l-tl on Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view of the back plate with the feed disk removed.

Fig. 6 is on larger scale a face view of the feed disk.

Fig. 7 is a section of the feed disk.

The back plate l of the device illustrated is preferably stamped to shape of steel with an integral backwardly extending lug 2 along one edge, two integral, spaced backwardly extending lugs 3 along the other edge, an integral longitudinally extending tang 4 at one end for securing the plate to the handle 5, and an integral lug 6 that extends outwardly from the edge of the plate between the lugs 22. The shearing blade extends inward between the lugs 3 and is secured to the lug 6. Blanked from the plate is a slot 8 that extends longitudinally of the handle, between the lug 2 on one side and lugs 3 on the other side. In this slot, with its edges fitted to the edges of the slot, is a slide 9 that is free to move lengthwise of the slot. The slide has a circular bore and fitted to rotate therein is a circular hub l that has an oblong slot shaped to receive the shank ll of the thumb piece l2. On the shank ll between the thumb piece and the front face of the plate is a washer IS. The feed disk M is fastened to the end of the shank of the thumb piece. The teeth l of the feed disk, preferably, are stamped outward at an angle from the face of the disk so that they will present more or less of a point against the surface with which they engage when rotated to feed a can and thus will easily and positively grip into a can when the device is used.

The slide moves freely along the slot with broad 5 faces in contact with the walls of the slot, so that it does not rotate and there is but little wear. The shank of the thumb piece being supported by the circular hub, the thumb piece turns easily with practically no wear between the pel0 riphery of the hub and the wall of the bore in the slide. With the teeth of the feed disk extending at an angle from the face of the disk, sharp edges of the teeth grip the can so that the can is surely carried around when the thumb piece is turned and the blade is cutting.

When the device is to be used to cut a circular section from the top of a can, the feed disk is slid to the upper end of the slot and the guide lugs 3 are placed on the rim of the can with the blade inside of the rim. The feed disk is then drawn down the slot toward the blade and turned by the thumb piece. This causes the teeth of the feed disk to bite into the can outside of the rim and the blade to dig into the top inside of the rim. Continued turning of the thumb piece forward then advances the can so that the blade will shear the desired section. When the thumb piece is turned forward the feed disk tends to travel toward the blade and bind the rim of the can between the disk and the blade. Upon turning the thumb piece backward the feed disk travels away from the blade so the rim of the can is released.

To remove the entire top of a can, with the feed disk at the upper end of the slot, the blade is engaged with the can below the rim on the outside and the feed disk engaged with the inside of the rim. Then when the thumb piece is turned the feed disk will carry the can around so that the blade will shear the can below the top.

The invention claimed is:

l. A can opener comprised of a plate and a handle attached thereto, said plate having a straight oblong slot extending longitudinally with relation to the handle and two guiding lugs spaced from each other along one edge of and integral with the plate, a shearing blade riveted to the plate and projecting inward from the edge thereof between and engaged with and held from twisting on the rivet by the edges of said spaced lugs, a slide fitted in and having free longitudinal movement along the slot, a hub rotatably fitted in said slide, a toothed feed disk on the blade side of the plate, and a thumb piece on the other side of the plate, said thumb piece having a shank that extends through and rotatably unites the thumb piece, hub and disk.

2. A can opener comprised of a plate having a straight oblong slot extending longitudinally thereof, a shearing blade fixed to the plate and projecting inward from an edge thereof toward the slot, means fitted in and having free movement along the slot, an annular toothed disk on the blade side of said means, a thumb piece on the other side of said means, and means connecting the thumb piece and disk, the teeth of said disk projecting from the periphery of the disk outward from said plate at an oblique angle with relation to the plane of the face of the disk.

3. A can opener comprised of a plate and a handle attached thereto, said plate having a straight slot extending longitudinally with relation to the handle, a shearing blade fixed to the plate and projecting inward from an edge thereto toward the slot, an oblong non-rotatable slide having straight edges that fit and have free movement longitudinally along the slot, a hub rotatably fitted in said slide, a toothed disk on the blade side of the plate, and a thumb piece on the other side of the plate, said thumb piece having 'a shank that extends through and rotatably unites the thumb piece, hub and disk, whereby said disk, hub and slide may be moved freely along the slot and the hub and disk rotated, by the thumb piece.

MELVIN HIGGS. 

